Macomb Music Theatre hosts Cheech & Chong, adds Mitch Ryder to lineup

Still basking in the afterglow of their first sold-out show, officials at Macomb Music Theatre in downtown Mount Clemens are ready to host the iconic comedy duo Cheech and Chong on Sunday evening and are lining up more acts.

The classic rock pairing of Mitch Ryder and Rare Earth on May 18 are the newest additions to the lineup for Macomb Music Theatre, a one-time vaudeville hall that first opened in 1921.

Owners Wally Mona and Marc Beginin said they were pleased with the rave reviews the theater received at the April 13 opening that featured a triple bill of Grammy award-winning jazz artists Gerald Albright, Alex Bugnon, and Norman Brown. They said all 1,400 seats were sold, with some fans coming from as far away as Toledo and Lansing.

“We heard a lot of people talk about the acoustics of the building and how beautiful the theater looked,” Beginin said.

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Among those in attendance were Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel and Mount Clemens Mayor Barb Dempsey.

“What they’ve done with the restoration, to bring the building back to is natural beauty is absolutely incredible,” Hackel said. “Without question, they’ve brought a ‘wow’ factor to the place.”

The new owners have been working on a $2 million restoration project since they acquired the former Emerald Theatre last fall. The overhaul is ongoing and won’t be totally done until late summer, when a grand opening celebration will be held.

In the next few months, they plan to further spruce up the venue with a large chandelier that will hang above the theater’s main floor and can be lowered for wedding receptions, and a LED-screen marquee for the exterior.

Ticket information is expected to be announced for the Mitch Ryder show soon. In addition to the shows, the theater is busy accepting a number of private rentals, Beginin said.

There are still some tickets left for Sunday’s Cheech & Chong show, which starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $49-$59 and available at ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000. Macomb Music Theatre is located at 31 N. Walnut, north of Cass Avenue in Mount Clemens.